At this point, many soccer athletes are feeling the effects of a tough season. They have endured summer camps and double sessions in August, as well as daily practices, games and weekend tournaments.

Bumps and bruises, strains, sprains and blisters have accompanied many hours of hard fought competition and fun across the state. While the groundwork and preparation for a successful, injury-free season may have been established early on, the teams and individual athletes that do more to continuously prepare off the field are the ones who will do better down the home stretch.

Participating in after-school sports requires planning and discipline to insure that academics and good health habits are not ignored during the season. Rest and recuperation are two important ingredients for success. Athletes who don’t give their bodies a chance to rebound from a strenuous workout run a greater risk of injury and illness. A good night’s sleep is important, but even short naps before practice or in between tournament games help give the body the rest it needs.

Another important part of off-the-field preparation is nutrition, the fuel that helps muscles and bones recover faster and grow stronger. In addition to sufficient carbohydrate intake, protein is an important component for muscle recovery. Foods high in protein, such as lean red meat, fish and chicken should be part of a healthy diet. This is especially true among active, growing children and adolescents. At least two servings per day are recommended and should come as part of a regular diet – not taken as supplements or protein drinks.

Forever fluids

During the cool afternoons and mornings of fall, maintaining proper hydration is sometimes difficult because athletes may not feel as though they are sweating much. During exercise, as muscles expend energy, breathing quickens, the body is losing water that must be replaced. On warm days and cool days alike, coaches and parents should encourage athletes to get a drink every time they come off the field. As always, if they wait until they are thirsty to get a drink, it is too late as dehydration has already occurred.

While the debate continues over using water or sports drinks to maintain hydration in athletes, some interesting new research shows that the consumption of chocolate milk immediately following exercise actually helped athletes recover better from intense workouts. The research showed that chocolate milk’s unique combination of calcium, protein and carbohydrates (lactose and sucrose) provides the energy and nutrients needed to strengthen bones, rebuild muscle cells and recover more quickly after vigorous exercise.

Keep Building

Even though the season is well underway, athletes should still continue to visit the weight room and work with a trainer to strengthen key areas such as abdominals, lower body and shoulders. Increasing strength in these core areas will help improve overall balance, coordination and stamina.

Of course, stretching should also become part of an athlete’s daily routine. I recommend that stretching be done after a brief warm-up, not when muscles are cold. A series of gentle stretches for the legs, arms shoulders and backs, each held for 20 seconds, should be performed alone. I have seen people suffer injuries from aggressively bouncing during stretches or having a partner pull or apply too much pressure while trying to help someone else stretch out.

This time of year is often where teams begin to pull away and prepare to go further in the postseason. By taking the time to rest and replenish your body, it will be able to go further too. And don’t forget the chocolate!

Dr. Heinz specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of sports-related musculoskeletal injuries at Orthopaedic Associates of Portland. He is also the team physician for the Portland Sea Dogs, Deering High School and a team physician for U.S. Soccer.